New American Truthhttp://www.newamericantruth.com
A contemporary common sense website that focuses on reality and practicality instead of politics!Fri, 03 Jul 2015 10:00:36 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Review: W.R. Case & Sons Patriotic Stockman Knifehttp://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/07/review-w-r-case-sons-patriotic-stockman-knife/
http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/07/review-w-r-case-sons-patriotic-stockman-knife/#commentsFri, 03 Jul 2015 10:00:36 +0000http://www.newamericantruth.com/?p=521881More often than not, when we see a knife carried by anyone in the law enforcement community, it’s got a clip on it so it can be “hung” in a pocket and accessed quickly. MOST of them only have one blade although they might have other tools such as a window punch, seatbelt cutter, etc. So when I received the Patriotic Stockman knife from W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company, I had to wonder: why did I get this for review? In the end, WHY didn’t matter. I was glad to have it to test and impressed with it overall.

With a closed length of 4.125”, it’s just a little bit big to be an everyday pocket knife. That’s not to say that it can’t be, but when I dropped it into my pocket with other items, the knife overwhelmed the space. That said, I like the knife so much I’m still searching for a belt sheath to carry it in because it’s a good tool to have with you.

The Stockman has three blades: a clip point, a sheepfoot and a spey blade. The clip point is the main blade with a cutting edge that measures just under three inches long. For general utility cutting, it’s quite handy, sufficient and of decent strength. The blade width is 3/32” which is good for a folding knife meant for general utility purposes. The sheepfoot blade has a cutting edge just under two inches long and is excellent for cuts that you want to really push into or that require fine cutting work with the tip of the blade. The spey blade also measures just under two inches and is good for cuts that you need to sweep the edge through, almost like a very small skinner.

With an overall weight of just over four ounces, the knife sports grip slabs made of kirinite – a material publicized as smooth but never slippery, with a grip that improves after each polishing. The slaps are red, white and blue and the bolsters are all brass pins. The blade material is described as Tru-Sharp surgical steel and throughout testing they certainly did hold an edge well.

Speaking of testing, as much as it pained me to do so because the knife is actually a very “pretty” knife, I had to take it out for some cutting tests. As I mentioned earlier, carrying the knife isn’t uncomfortable in a pocket, but it’s on the big side of being a pocket knife. The grip length, however, is plenty long enough to fill a hand (mine are medium sized, so it might be just a bit small if you have big hands) and provide good grip for heavier cutting chores.

Out to the shed I went, Patriotic Stockman in hand, to find a bunch of stuff I could cut up. The usual assortment of “junk” was available and is now in smaller pieces. Everything from ½” cotton rope to that ugly yellow rope junk, 1” nylon webbing, twine, string, #120 fishing line and some 550 paracord fell to the main blade. The sheepfoot blade worked wonders scoring plastic and cutting leather. The spey blade helped me strip some laminate vinyl off of a piece of metal.

The knife and all blades performed as expected. After the fact I came in the house, washed and cleaned the main blade and then used it to cut up a ripe tomato. As anyone knows, a dulled blade plays hell trying to cut through tomato skin. This one sliced right through and cut through the meat of the tomato without any issues or challenges. I cleaned it once again, dried it and set it on my shelf (where I keep all my daily carry items).

I give this knife two thumbs up both for function AND for appearance. The red, white and blue trim really stands out and almost makes me think the knife is better suited as a collectible than as a working tool. Since I’m not one who is much on collectibles, the large Patriotic Stockman will end up in my pocket more often than not – until I find a suitable belt sheath for it.

Online I’ve found the knife priced in the $50-$60 range with $52 being the best price so far. $59.95 has been the high end. For a knife of this quality and appearance, not to mention performance, that’s a darn good deal. For more info check out W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company online.

Stay safe!

]]>http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/07/review-w-r-case-sons-patriotic-stockman-knife/feed/0Review: Kahr CW380 Pocket Pistolhttp://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/review-kahr-cw380-pocket-pistol/
http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/review-kahr-cw380-pocket-pistol/#commentsMon, 29 Jun 2015 10:00:40 +0000http://www.newamericantruth.com/?p=521697For the past couple of years my primary concealed carry handgun has been the Kahr CW4543 – their ultra-slim 6+1 .45ACP. It’s pretty easy to conceal and has a nice flat profile so there’s a reduced chance of it “printing” under anything I wear. That said, in the summer time, unless I want to wear that extra shirt, a belly band, or an IWB (not a big fan because of comfort issues), it’s nice to have an even smaller handgun that I can pocket carry. Enter the Kahr CW380.

I’m not going to get into the debate about power, caliber, round count, etc. Yes, if all things were equal I’d always carry my .45ACP. If I MUST shoot someone, I’d prefer to do maximum damage so that their lethal threat is stopped as quickly as possible. But things aren’t always equal. Sometimes, for the simple sake of comfort and relaxation, “dressing down” is the name of the game but I still don’t want to leave the house without a gun. That’s when pocket carry comes in handy and my Kahr CW4543 just doesn’t fit in a pocket. SO…

The next argument I often get is twofold: First, “it only carries six rounds!” That’s correct. Six in the magazine plus one in the chamber for a total of seven. That’s the same number as my Kahr CW4543: seven (6+1). The capacity debate is sometimes as big as the caliber debate and I refuse to get sucked into it. There was a time in my career when five rounds of .38 Special was all I had in my gun, so seven rounds in the gun is an improvement. It’s just a matter of perspective. Second part of the argument: “it’s only got a 2.5” barrel. What are you going to hit with that?” My answer: a threat that is up close, personal and immediate. A threat so close I can’t miss. The reality is that, even with these smaller handguns, I still have to qualify according to my state’s standards for law enforcement off-duty guns. That means I have to shoot 70% or better (state standard – my agency requires 75%) at distances out to 25 yards. Referring back to that 5-shot .38 again, it had only a 2” barrel and no one accused it of being insufficiently accurate. The difference between a longer barrel and a shorter barrel is the requisite skill mastering basic marksmanship to be able to shoot the weapon effectively.

Lastly, with the renewed interest in pocket-sized .380s that swept through the firearms industry in the beginning of 2014, my curiosity was peaked and I had to check out several as well. One of the guns I checked out, and had a favorable outlook toward because of my experience with its “big brother,” the CW4543, was the Kahr CW380. I requested and received one for test and evaluation along with two standard six-round magazines and one “+1” seven-round magazine.

As with any gun I plan to carry and potentially count on to save my life, I needed to get it on the range both for regular function testing and then for qualification with one of my agency instructors. Before I get into range results, let’s review the basic gun specifications real quick:

The gun really is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand (and I have medium sized hands), thin enough to not print even in your pocket and just long enough to get a decent minimal sight radius.

On the range I loaded up the magazines I had with ball ammo. I had three different kinds on hand (Winchester, American Eagle and Tula) and tested them each separately. The six-round magazines worked like a charm with all three. There were no malfunctions related to feeding or extraction/ejection. That said, with the extended seven-round magazine, I experienced several failures to feed. I noticed that with the added length of the magazine, which gave my pinky purchase, I was tilting the magazine ever so slightly in the magazine well. I can’t say for certain that this caused any feeding issues, but I didn’t experience any feed malfunctions with the standard six-round magazines.

For accuracy testing and to insure that the weapon would also function with “duty” ammo – something not ball ammo – I tested it with the ammo I intended to carry: Remington Golden Saber. This 102g JHP ammo is, in my mind, just a slightly down-loaded 9mm round. The .380ACP is sometimes referred to as a “9mm short” for a reason; same diameter, lighter projectile.

With the Golden Saber ammo, from a distance of seven yards, I was able to produce repeatable (and respectable?) six shot groups measuring three inches or less (see photos). From the fifteen yard line those groups opened up a little bit but stayed within the four-to-five inch range, and from the twenty-five yard line I could keep all the shots inside the 8-ring on a standard B27 target. That may not be an indicator of what the weapon is actually capable of since it’s probably more accurate than I am and there are shooters out there who could keep the shot groups a lot tighter. But since I don’t have the ability to walk around accompanied by a competitive shooter bodyguard, I had to determine whether or not the CW380 would suit MY carry purposes and whether or not I could be sufficiently competent with it. I was satisfied with the results.

Using a variety of holsters, primarily from DeSantis Gunhide, I carried the Kahr CW380 throughout the summer months either on my belt, inside my waistband or in a pocket. A few times I carried it in a belly band but I felt that access to it was way too slow to be practical for emergency presentation. Sure, it was better than not having a gun with me at all, but it was the slowest option for getting the gun out when needed.

My typical carry condition for the CW380 was chamber loaded with six rounds in the magazine and one spare six-round magazine somewhere on my person. That gave me a total of 13 rounds of the Remington Golden Saber .380ACP ammo available comfortably and easily concealed. Of course, that was in addition to the rest of my usual every day carry (EDC) items: wallet, badge wallet, phone, keys, knife, knife, knife, lighter, flashlight…

I was quite pleased with the performance and convenience of the Kahr CW380. The .75” thickness is easy to hide in a number of carry locations. Holster availability for it abounds and enables you to carry in a pocket (above or below your waist), on your belt, inside your waist band, in a cargo pocket (the DeSantis Nemesis rocks for this) and more. Accuracy is more than acceptable for such a small firearm that is balanced out by a noticeable caliber. Reliability – with the exception of that +1 magazine which may be MY fault and not that of the weapon – proved 100% in all my testing.

All in all I’d call this an excellent option for deep concealment carry AND it’s a great Back Up Gun (BUG) that is aesthetically appealing to go with my Kahr CW4543 as the primary carry.

]]>http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/review-kahr-cw380-pocket-pistol/feed/0Mayhem Tactical Uniform Reviewhttp://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/mayhem-tactical-uniform-review/
http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/mayhem-tactical-uniform-review/#commentsMon, 29 Jun 2015 09:45:29 +0000http://www.newamericantruth.com/?p=500293There I was… stalking the vendor jungle in Atlantic City; also known as walking the expo floor at the Police & Security Expo (PSE) held annually. One of the vendors that caught my eye is new to the industry but is doing some strong work right out of the gate. The company name is MAYHEM and they’re producing some good products to help protect we law enforcement professionals FROM the mayhem of the streets. After meeting them at PSE and having some follow on conversations, I received a uniform set and a tactical vest carrier for T&E. Here is my report.

Tactical Shirt

Although I have been familiar with mixed-fabric uniform shirts for some time, I’ve never really worn them much. Most of my uniforms have been BDU or ACU style for tactical assignments. My agency doesn’t have a full time team so a tactical uniform has never been specified, approved or issued.

When I received the Tactical Shirt from Mayhem, like I do with every other uniform item (except boots), I washed it first and then set about wear testing it. For the past several years I’ve been wearing XL shirts but for the past year I’ve been upping my fitness program and shed some fat (although not enough yet) and this Large fit me just perfectly. The torso made of performance material is just long enough to tuck comfortably but not so long it could serve as a short dress (you guys with short torsos know what I’m talking about). The shoulder, where the cloth sleeves curve in the conversion from vertical to horizontal, hang just right at the point of my shoulders but the cloth also runs up the top of the shoulder to the base of the collar so the support for the sleeves is stronger. The sleeves are just a tad long for my arms but the adjustable hook-n-loop cuffs keep the sleeves from sliding down over the tops of my hands.

The quarter-zip front and the full collar (as opposed to the ACU type collar) help with comfort. More often than not I wore the shirt without the tactical vest carrier (see below) so the collar was folded down and the zipper half way down. When I zipped the zipper all the way up the collar stood back up, all the way around, to form a mock turtleneck type of collar.

Both sleeves have a hook-n-loop patch panel at the top for easy patch application. Those patch panels are covered with a blank square of cloth so if you don’t want to have or don’t use any patches, the panel is covered and protected. That way it doesn’t just attract things like lint, dog hair, threads, etc. One observation here for washing: when you wash the shirt, take the patch panel cover cloth squares off. They tend to curl at the corners in the dryer and therefore stand out from your arm. Both arms of the shirt also have hook-n-loop closed elbow pockets for pads if you want to insert them. If you don’t need hard pads or don’t want to buy the sometimes expensive neoprene / closed cell foam pads, I’ve found that cutting down some old/used computer mouse pads works just fine.

On the left sleeve forearm is a pen pocket (that will hold three pens) and behind it, closed via a vertical zipper, is a “hidden” pocket that might be good for carrying small folded documents, etc. It’s about the size of an 8”x11” piece of paper folded in half twice. I’ve had some follow-on conversation with the folks at Mayhem and they may be adding a similar pen/hidden pocket on the right sleeve but with the “pen” pockets specifically sized to fit most contemporary LED “penlights” than run on AAA batteries. Since 92% of us are right handed, having pen pockets on the left sleeve makes sense. By the same token, having access to a small flashlight on the right sleeve (grabbed with our left hand) makes equal sense.

All in all, I like this shirt. It is, among the uniform shirts I’ve tested, the best fitting (for me personally) to date.

Tactical BDU Pants

These pants are pretty much what you’d expect from a BDU style pant with a few happy surprises. Made from a PolyCotton Blend Rip Stop fabric the pants have an extra two inches of elastic stretch in the waist and an extra inch of length in the legs. Why? For two reasons: first, shrinkage can happen. I’ve bought clothing that was “pre-shrunk” only to have it shrink plenty and clothing that I was told would shrink that never did. With the extra waist space and the extra length, if some shrinkage happens, you’re still good to go. If not, you’re still good to go.

The seams are all multi-stitched with heavy duty thread and have reinforced knees and seat. There are hidden interior pockets in the knees of the legs for pads and the cargo pockets are as you’d expect… with a twist. Inside the cargo pockets, along the bottom inside edge, is a hook-n-loop panel. It’s there to hold in the removable pocket organizers that Mayhem also produces. You can get a cargo pocket organizer that holds two rifle magazines (AR type), one pistol magazine or a folding knife, and two pens or penlight(s). The other option is a pocket organizer that is a holster and will easily hold up to a mid-size weapon such as a Glock 19 or similar size. The organizer that holds magazines/pens can be put into either side; the holster type organizer has to be specifically right or left side (duh).

I’ve tried out both and like them. The guns I used for testing out the holster organizer included a Ruger LCP (.380), Kahr CW308, Kahr CW4543 (.45ACP) and a Sig P232 (.380). I have had some discussion with the folks at Mayhem and a change of security for the holster is in the works. Currently there is a nylon strap that wraps over the grip of the weapon and secures down via hook-n-loop. They’re making changes either to an adjustable thump-snap strap OR a pull through hook-n-loop with the pocket flap adding additional security.

At the cuff of the pant there is a neat feature as well. The blousing string – built in – has a spring-loaded string “keeper” that keeps the ends secure. No more flapping ends that can dangle from the cuff when you were trying to keep them tucked out of sight. That’s a feature that most companies wouldn’t pay attention to and is indicative of the thought Mayhem put into their design.

Tactical Carrier

Mayhem makes two exterior carriers for vest panels: a Tactical exterior carrier and a Uniform exterior carrier. The difference is (primarily) the appearance of the pockets. Both carriers have chest pockets but on the Uniform carrier the pockets look like those of a uniform shirt as opposed to just being plain utility pockets.

To see a complete list of all of the features of the Tactical Carrier, you can check out the Mayhem webpage for it. For the purposes of my wear test, I equipped it with my Level IIIA panels and added on the pouches I wanted for “tactical” use. In my case that meant pouches to hold six AR magazines, three hi-cap pistol magazines and my radio on the front. On the back I put a hydration pouch down the center and a tac-med kit on the lower left side. The carrier is well equipped with plenty of standard MOLLE webbing so adding pouches of the type you want and where you want is pretty easy. Conversation with the folks at Mayhem indicates they will one day be producing pouches as well, but they are not as of this writing.

On the top half of the front of the vest are two pockets, hidden pen pockets and a hidden document pocket that has zippered access center chest. There is also a microphone loop just above that and non-slip rubberized material that covers the front of both shoulders for securely mounting a rifle.

The vest is pretty adjustable both for length and girth with an abundant cumber bun that is still enough to provide back support while really snugging the vest against your body. There are four buckles with adjustable straps for securing the front panel to the back panel and the adjustment straps are held down against the outside of the back panel with hook-n-loop material so that they don’t flap around. There is also a built-in suspension system that attaches to your duty belt if you so desire.

The top four rows of MOLLE webbing on the back are faced with hook-n-loop so you can attach patches as necessary: agency patch, POLICE panel, blood-type, etc. There is also a drag handle above that with a hook-n-loop center connector so that the handle isn’t flapping loose all the time. It’s held relatively flat until you need it (and let’s hope none of us ever does anywhere but training).

The carrier was comfortable to wear over the tactical shirt and, once adjusted properly for fit, was comfortable for at least six hours (the longest period I had to wear it during testing).

In Closing

Mayhem also makes an entire line of gloves specifically designed for various purposes and will soon be expanding their uniform line. One of the strengths of the company is their ability to do relatively small custom orders and their future ability to do custom dyed colors. As I said earlier, they are a relatively new company to our industry, but I’m looking forward to seeing what they do next and am impressed with what they’ve produced thus far. Check them out online at www.intersport-group.com.

Stay safe!

]]>http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/mayhem-tactical-uniform-review/feed/0Review: BLACKHAWK’s Laptop Backpackhttp://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/review-blackhawks-laptop-backpack/
http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/review-blackhawks-laptop-backpack/#commentsFri, 26 Jun 2015 10:00:59 +0000http://www.newamericantruth.com/?p=521873It was a couple years ago (literally, two) that I was walking around SHOT Show and, as I usually do several times during the course of a show, wandered into the BLACKHAWK booth. Having enjoyed long friendships with several of the employees there, I make it a point to stop in and give them grief. It’s the only friendly thing to do. As a result – and as is required – they give me grief back. On this one occasion I was wearing a pack that wasn’t a BLACKHAWK product. From another manufacturer, it was designed for urban usage to carry a laptop computer, pens, phone, etc.; the usual stuff you carry day to day – but it also had pockets that would hold water bottles and was fitted for a hydration system if you wanted to put one in. One of my BLACKHAWK friends gave me grief for wearing another manufacturer’s pack into their booth. My reply was that if I had a BLACKHAWK one that would do all the same things, I’d be wearing/carrying it. A month later I got a BLACKHAWK Laptop Backpack in the mail for test & evaluation.

As I said, that was SHOT Show two years ago so I’ve had the pack now for about two and a half years. The same day I received and unpacked it, I took everything out of the urban pack that I had and loaded it into the BLACKHAWK Laptop Backpack. For those of you wondering, yes – that’s actually what it is called: the BLACKHAWK Laptop Backpack. The designers at BLACKHAWK specifically set it up to carry a laptop and the miscellaneous other stuff you typically need day to day in a working environment, but they also made it big enough that it serves well as an overnight bag. In fact, if you know how to pack and what you’re doing, it can serve well as a three day bag.

Looking at the numbers – it has just over 900 cubic inches of space in the four main compartments (not including the side pockets) – it seems like it’s just not that much. But because of the way it is designed, cut and stitched, it has a lot of functional room. Before I get into the subjective observations, here is a list of the features published on the BLACKHAWK page for the product:

The laptop compartment measures 13”x19” and fits my son’s MacBook Pro without any issues. It certainly fits both of the Toshiba laptops (17” screens) that I have on hand and they are nearly three times thicker than the MacBook Pro. Note that the laptop compartment is both padded and has a waterproof zipper. I never take for granted that any pack I use is waterproof so I treat them all with a water resistant spray application. There are a variety of these on the market and they all work reasonably well. Remember to apply them to a clean pack and give them a full 24 hours to dry.

The main compartment – during one trip that I took this pack on – held a pair of tennis shoes, four pair of socks, a pair of jeans, three polo shirts, three pair of underwear and a hoody. The smaller top outer pocket held my travel toiletries. The front compartment (the bigger one between the main compartment and the two outer pockets) held my iPad, all my travel documents and a few other assorted items with plenty of room to spare. The bottom outer pocket held my digital camera, the charger pack for it, a digital recording device, all of the power cords for my electronics (iPad and phone), two pens, a flashlight, etc.

Now, those sides pockets. Triangular in shape, they prove difficult to accurately measure and no specs are provided for them on the webpage for the pack. That said, during SHOT Show THIS year I was able to put a 24 ounce water bottle in each pocket along with gum and throat lozenges in one and three protein bars in the other. They are roomy – just not “quick and easy” to fit things into if you want to use all the space (because of their shape).

The pack is equipped (as noted in the list of features) with adjustable padded shoulder straps and a sternum strap (which I never use). There is also a grab handle on the top. Even with the maximum load I’ve ever put into it, the pack was more than comfortable to wear and, if loaded properly, when you’re carrying it by the grab handle and set it down, it stands up nicely without having to lean it on something lest it fall over.

The pack is available in two colors: Black or Tan and has an MSRP of $153 and change. For today’s market that’s a pretty good price for a pack with this construction and features. However, a quick google search found me some as low as $89 plus shipping and handling. That’s a DARN good price for a pack with these features manufactured by a company with such a dependable reputation. So if you’re in the market for a new pack – especially one designed to carry a laptop safely – check out the BLACKHAWK Laptop Backpack page online – or do that Google search.

Stay safe!

]]>http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/review-blackhawks-laptop-backpack/feed/0Minuteman Watches: MM02 PVD Libertyhttp://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/minuteman-watches-mm02-pvd-liberty/
http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/minuteman-watches-mm02-pvd-liberty/#commentsThu, 25 Jun 2015 10:00:19 +0000http://www.newamericantruth.com/?p=462290I am a watch guy. That’s not to say that I am excessively knowledgeable about watches, or that I collect them or that you’ll find exorbitantly expensive watches in my assortment. What it means is that every watch I have is unique and serves a purpose (and I DO have a watch for every day of the week… plus maybe a couple more). All of my watches are waterproof and will withstand a bit of abuse. So when the Minuteman watch brand was brought to my attention, it piqued my interest.

The first thing I noticed was that the watches look basic in the older style of military issue timepieces. In that, they have a “classic” flavor to their appearance. The second thing I noticed was that this classic appearance was accompanied by contemporary design touches that said, “I may look basic but I am far from being your grandfather’s plastic case, OD Green won’t-miss-me-when-I’m-gone field watch.” The third, and perhaps most important, thing I noticed was the published outlook of the Minuteman brand in supporting all things America and, in particular, our veterans.

So, I took the opportunity to reach out and see if I could get my hands on (wrist inside of?) a Minuteman watch for testing. I was pleased to receive one of their Liberty models for T&E (the MM02 – see their available styles on this webpage).

Before I get into describing the watch and how the field test went, let me comment first on the American outlook I just mentioned. Right on their webpage, Minuteman watches publishes the following information:

The Minuteman Company was created for three reasons:

To raise funds for the charities that assist veterans and their families (25% of the profit from each Minuteman product goes to those charities).

To provide work for Americans whenever possible.

To provide a quality product that will stand the test of time.

Started by a disabled Vietnam veteran and his son, Minuteman was started not only to provide a quality product but to assist those veterans suffering lifelong physical and mental issues connected with their service. Being a service veteran myself and with 29 more in my family (four generations), I can appreciate any company that actively supports our nation’s veterans, most especially if they do so while producing quality items that are useful every day.

So, I received my Minuteman watch, the MM02 Liberty model. Here are the stats:

Built in the United States of America

43mm width without crown

200 meter water resistant

Stainless Steel case. Flat Dark Earth PVD coated in the United States of America

Comes with one American made Leather strap as well as a Nato/Zulu style nylon watch strap

The packaging was even impressive. The watch, with the leather strap installed and the NATO strap beside it, was inside a padded zippered nylon case inside a box. Upon unwrapping and opening it up my first thought was, “Wow! That’s a big watch!” I don’t have dainty or feminine wrists, but at 43mm wide, THIS IS A BIG WATCH. That said, it’s about the same diameter as many of today’s popular “special warfare” watches that run anywhere from 40mm to 44mm in width. Most of the watches in my collection are slightly smaller so I was surprised at the width. Then I realized just how much easier it was to read the time and see everything on the face of the watch. That added size was helpful for my 50+ year old eyes.

The basic rugged appearance is stylish in its own way and the luminous dial / hands are easy to read. With the Minuteman logo at twelve o’clock in replacement of the number 12, the 03, 06 and 09 are where you’d expect them. Hash marks replace the 01, 02, 04, 05, 07, 08, 10 and 11 but, uniquely enough, what would be 04 is labeled as 16; the 05 as 17; the 07 as 19. You get the idea. The watch is labeled for 24 hour time as you’d expect from a military timepiece.

I’m not much of a fan of leather watchbands – although I know plenty of folks who prefer them – so I had the band swapped out at my local jewelers (if I tried to do it I’d be sure to lose a pin). The OD Green nylon strap has ¼” adjustments and a double-d-ring loop back for the trailing end of the strap. Thus prepared, and with the time set by the factory (but checked to match correct time using this website) and within a few seconds (18 to be precise) of accurate, I went about my days using this as my primary watch.

Two weeks later I gave it an examination for damage, scratches, dings, dents and accuracy of time.

The watch looked no worse for wear and tear. No scratches; no dings; no dents; no signs of abuse (and I HAD banged it inadvertently on a doorway or two). The time was still accurate to within 18 seconds of the official U.S. time for my time zone. I thought about how well the luminous hands and face had held their brightness and came to the conclusion that I’d only had any trouble reading them in the dark after eight to ten hours IN the dark. They held their luminosity well enough.

My resulting conclusion? I had received a quality time piece that was certainly durable enough, that was easier to read than other watches in my collection and manufactured by a company that supported my country’s service veterans. What’s not to like?

Please check out Minuteman Watches online. They have six models currently in production along with a knife manufactured by Zero Tolerance knives – a well-respected name in the industry. Minuteman is looking to expand their product line with items made in the USA and have pledged to continue their assistance to our service veterans. It’s a company you can feel good giving your business to – and their quality products will make it worth your dollars.

You may opt for off-body carry due to the constraints of your dress, or you may simply choose to carry off-body for (hopefully risk-adjusted) convenience. Either way, you will want a high-quality, purpose-designed pack to carry your gun in – slipping your gun into any old bag will result in poor retention, poor access, and possibly an unsafe gun. Sister companies Tactical Tailor and Grey Ghost Gear are well-known for their high-quality military/law-enforcement gear, and both make low-key concealed carry packs for those customers that are also ideal for the concealed-carry citizen or off-duty cop.

The Tactical Tailor Concealed Carry Sling Bag is a very practical size – big enough to be useful, and small enough to be manageable.

What makes for a proper concealed carry pack or bag? It has to look non-tactical — no PALS webbing, no military colors, and no certainly camouflage. It should have a “civilian” shape – more rounded than rectangular. You goal is to blend, not be tacticool. Yes, I’ve heard the argument that no one really notices or recognizes a coyote-brown/PALS pack as a gun bag, but I’m not concerned with how 99% of the population reacts. I’m concerned about the bad guys – who most certainly do notice these things.

Another vital characteristic is a well-thought out concealed carry compartment. It should be loop-lined to accept hook-backed holsters and mag carriers, allow full-hand access, and be easy to find and withdraw the gun from. Finally, it should be sturdy (not flimsy) and high-quality; a loaded handgun is a heavy object and its weight should be supported by the bag.

The 776 cubic-inch Tactical Tailor Concealed Carry Sling Bag is all of the above, incorporating extremely high-quality beefy material (500 and 1000 denier cordura), webbing, hardware, and stitching. The bag has a wide padded upper shoulder strap and a breathable mesh-padded back which make it very, very comfortable to carry. The shoulder strap can attach to either bottom corner, providing ambidextrous carry, and all compartments are zipper-accessible from either side. The front admin compartment is loop lined to accept a provided reversible hook-backed admin panel. The main compartment is big enough to fit a couple sweaters and has more loop lining. The full-height concealed carry compartment is at the back, is completely loop lined, and comes with a universal holster.

The concealed carry compartment of the Concealed Carry Sling Bag is full-height, loop lined, and allows a full grip on the gun.

Neat features of this bag include the fact that the unused lower shoulder strap can be either folded away into a small compartment or attached to the upper shoulder strap to become a stabilization strap. The lower shoulder straps have a small strip quasi-PALS-like webbing for attaching carabineers, etc., and the upper shoulder strap has a small section of Blue Force Gear-licensed helium-whisper panel for attaching a pouch.

The 887 cubic-inch Grey Ghost Gear Stealth Operator Pack is a two-strap pack for covert concealed carry. This is an excellent size for everyday carry, concealed or not. It’s enough room to carry a useful amount of stuff, but no so big that it feels like a hiking pack. This pack also meets my three

The concealed carry compartment of the Stealth Operator Pack is behind the front compartment’s inside wall, and not obvious to the eye.

criteria above; non-tactical look with a rounded profile, practical concealed carry compartment, and sturdy construction.. First class stitching and materials all around, and the 500D cordura combined with a neat-looking diamond-pattern ripstop nylon give it a classy two-tone look of sturdiness. The main compartment has three interior pockets on the front side, made from heavy mesh, two of which are AR-15 magazine sized. There is a full hydration compartment at the very rear. The front single-vertical-zip opening pocket has a few admin pockets, and behind them a hidden Velcro-closed concealed carry pocket that’s nine inches deep with internal horizontal loop strips to mate to a supplied hook-backed holster. This is not a fast-access system, but it ingeniously conceals the very existence of the CC compartment even if someone opens all the zippers during a bag search. The mesh padding on the back of the pack provides comfort and gives the pack some structure.

My bottom line here: very comfortable, very discrete (downright covert, actually), and a perfect size. I actually use this as my EDC pack, even without a gun.

]]>http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/off-body-carry-done-right-2/feed/1Maxpedition Mag Bag Triple Reviewhttp://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/maxpedition-mag-bag-triple-review/
http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/maxpedition-mag-bag-triple-review/#commentsTue, 23 Jun 2015 10:00:44 +0000http://www.newamericantruth.com/?p=521727It’s been over fifteen years now since the events at Columbine High School inspired the Active Shooter Response protocol explosion. Since that time we’ve seen response strategies change and evolve and some of the most knowledgeable instructors out there still disagree on what the best strategy is. The most honest ones will tell you what they would do if they were responding to such an event at the school of their own child(ren). What none of them disagree about is the need to carry more than just your usual duty belt and equipment into the building in such a response. They might disagree about how to carry the items they all suggest you should have. One solution is the Active Shooter Response Bag from Maxpedition.

Officially called the “Mag Bag” on the Maxpedition website, and available in two- or three-magazine versions, the Mag Bag is ideally suited for active shooter response. Let’s take a look at the design features and why I view it as the near-perfect bag to be kept in your trunk right next to your patrol rifle.

Before we get into the bag, I need to be ugly honest up front: I prefer a response vest to every bag out there. Why? The body armor we cops typically wear, in my opinion, needs to be upgraded if we’re going into a known high risk environment. Active Shooter events are known high risk environments. Further, they are events where we specifically are called upon to put ourselves into the line of fire, potentially taking rounds to keep those rounds from hitting the children we’re there to protect. Knowing all that, if I can don a vest, complete with better armor – or at least duplicating the concealed armor I have on – and carrying the equipment I need while keeping both my hands free, I feel that’s our best option.

Many of us can’t afford to exercise that option. We can’t afford the extra vest, the armor upgrades, the pouches, etc. to prepare that piece of equipment just so we can leave it in our trunk day in and day out. The next best option is a bag we can grab, sling and go when we grab our patrol rifle out of our trunk. If your patrol rifle is in a lock in the passenger compartment of your car, your response bag may still be in your trunk… hopefully on top of all the other stuff or off to one side where you can quickly grab it without digging. TIME is of the essence.

If you’re grabbing that one bag, it should contain everything you think you’ll need as you go into that high risk environment. Some of the items recommended to be kept in that bag are:

Extra magazines for your rifle. Some experts say one extra is enough. Others say two. Yet others say as many as you can carry. Just remember, once you’re in that building, you can’t go back out and get some more until after the event is ended – and then you won’t need more, so carry whatever you think you MIGHT potentially need.

Extra magazines for your pistol. If your rifle malfunctions or if you run out of ammo for it, your pistol is what you have. Be able to feed it.

Basic trauma supplies. If you take a round, you’d better be able to treat yourself and extract yourself because the rest of your team, if you have one with you, will be focused on hunting bad guys. None of them is going to stop and help you put on a tourniquet or apply a pressure bandage. Make sure you have what you need to treat a bullet hole, or two, and then double those supplies so that when the shooting does stop you can start helping others who have been wounded.

Search, movement and security supplies. This can include door chocks, cord for tying doors shut, colored tape (for various scenarios), a SERE mask (basic smoke filtration mask to wear if you don’t have a full pro-mask), duct tape, magic markers and more.

Let’s take a look at those features as applied to answering our needs and requirements of such a response bag. The front face of the bag has three magazine pouches which will hold two 30-round magazines each for the typical AR we see in patrol vehicles today. That’s a total of six magazines or 180 extra rounds of ammo. While there are still some folks who will say that’s not enough, it’s the equivalent of the average infantry load out for a combat soldier. Let’s take on faith that it is enough for lack of any easy way to carry more.

On the left end (if you hang it around your neck and look down at it, front facing away from your body), is MOLLE webbing that allows you to attach a pouch of choice. You can mount a gear pouch, water bottle pouch, another magazine pouch, etc.; whatever you feel your greatest need is for expansion of what the bag will carry.

On the right end are two pistol magazine pouches that will hold just about every pistol magazine used by contemporary law enforcement today. With Glocks being most common, and an assortment of high capacity 9mm/.40S&W caliber handguns making up the large majority of the rest, you’d be unique if YOUR pistol magazines won’t fit in those pouches.

The main compartment offers 360 cubic inches of storage space for those other supplies we discussed. The inside of both the front and back face are loop lined (as in hook-and-loop) so that you can secure modular accessories thusly equipped. I know some folks who like to carry an additional pistol, so this feature would allow you to secure a holster, etc. if you see the need. I’m surprised Maxpedition doesn’t provide a divider or two that could be position adjusted to further compartmentalize the interior space.

The shoulder strap is adjustable and there is also a strap to go around your waist that is adjustable and secures with a quick release buckle. With practice, once you’ve adjusted the shoulder strap and the waist strap to the proper size to fit yourself, you can don this bag – grab it, throw it over your neck/shoulder and secure the waist strap – in about five seconds.

Mag Bag available colors, plus the “hunter” version with blaze orange pouch flaps.

The test model I have is OD Green in color, but the Mag Bag is available in black, foliage green, tan and a “hunter” version which is tan with blaze orange magazine pouch flaps to increase visibility. On the range, reloading from the magazine pouches proved easy after a bit of practice. One word of caution: Be cognizant of how you place the magazines in the pouches. One of the things we teach, to increase speed and ease of reloads, is to have the magazines in your pouches on your support side with the bullet noses pointing toward your strong side. The same goes for putting rifle magazines in these pouches: put them in with the bullet noses facing forward so when you grab one for a reload it’s already facing the right way in your hand for most efficient feeding into the rifle’s mag well.

Reloading my handgun from the two pistol magazine pouches proved equally easy after a small bit of familiarization and practice. Positioning and placement still matter, so pay attention.

A Google search revealed some online retailers selling this product for as little as $103 and change; some with free shipping. That’s a good price for a bag with these features from a quality manufacturer like Maxpedition. I consider it a good option for a trunk-kept go-bag and would recommend it if you’re in the market for such.

The Glock 43 holsters will utilize Kinetic Concealment’s patent pending leather/neoprene backing. The advantages to having neoprene is multi-purpose. Less moisture is transferred from the body to the gun, protecting the metals of the firearm. The neoprene-backing also allows for added comfort for the body, and added support for the firearm. The neoprene slides smoothly on any cotton undershirt. The use of Chicago-Style screw sets allows the user to remove all elements of the holster attachments for easy cleaning of the leather neoprene pad.

Kinetic Concealment also offers the holster as an Outside the Waistband (OWB) model and in their newly popular Combo Kits.

Retail Price for the IWB is $76.95, and $44.95 for the OWB model. All holsters can be purchased online at www.kineticconcealment.com

]]>http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/kinetic-concealment-announces-holsters-for-the-glock-43/feed/0Hawk Side-Zip Boots from Original SWAT: Reviewhttp://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/hawk-side-zip-boots-from-original-swat-review/
http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/hawk-side-zip-boots-from-original-swat-review/#commentsMon, 22 Jun 2015 10:00:52 +0000http://www.newamericantruth.com/?p=521861Long time readers know that I was against the idea of side-zip boots most of my life. I “grew up” in Uncle Sam’s Army wearing black leather lace up boots that, more often than not, broke in your feet rather than the other way around. Even in the first twenty years (roughly) that I spent on the streets as a police officer, I preferred for my boots to lace up – and that black leather upper had better take a shine. Today’s world is slightly different and I’ve learned to adapt to, if not even appreciate, side zip boots. When I got this pair of Hawk Side-Zip boots for field testing from Original SWAT, I had that usual look of doubt on my face. A couple months of wearing them later and… I’m thinking that maybe side-zip boots aren’t so bad after all.

First off, let’s take a look at some of the features. As I hinted above, some of these features wouldn’t be acceptable for anyone but SWAT 15 years ago. In today’s more realistic law enforcement world, they are finding greater acceptance. The uppers are a mix of leather and a durable nylon mesh. The leather CAN be shined but there’s not enough of it to make it worth doing. Keep the leather clean and supple (saddle soap works great) and buffed. The nylon mesh can be cleaned, if it gets dirty enough, with a stiff bristled plastic brush when everything is dry. The laces are polymer and – based on my testing – can take a beating without fail. Since they’re not metal, they’re “friendly” to metal detectors, scanners, etc.

The tongue is gusseted (folds and stretches vertically) so that dirt and debris don’t weasel their way into your boot during heavy duty engagements or use. I love the website’s description of the laces: “Tactical performance non-slip laces.” By the same token, it’s the truth. Reality is that laces DO stretch over time. You’re doubly cursed if the laces stretch AND come loose because they slip against each other and the friction we create tying them together. I saw SOME stretching of the laces over the couple months of wear but I only had to retie them once.

As for the footbed construction, heel, toe and sole features, here’s the list direct from the webpage for the boot:

As I mentioned, when I first got these boots to wear test, I was doubtful I’d feel real great about them. While, on the one hand, Original SWAT boots are – hands down – the most comfortable out-of-the-box boots I’ve ever worn, I’ve had a long standing prejudice against side-zip boots. I recognize that my prejudice may not be logical or reasonable, and that’s why I decided to start testing the boots right away. Anytime I was going out to do anything resembling duty, hiking, backpacking, etc. these were the boots I put on.

Like “traditional” boots, I had to put them on the first time with the zipper up so I could lace them properly on my feet. That done, I made it a point to only put them on or take them off using the zipper. While I expected the boots to need relacing within a week or so, I was happily surprised to find that I didn’t have to relace them until about six weeks later. I had put a bunch of miles on them by then and wasn’t disappointed.

I had worn the boots on a myriad assortment of surfaces to include asphalt, concrete, sand, gravel, dirt, mud and grass. I never got them into a field of grass or anything much taller than my ankle, but they performed well on every surface I encountered. The only time I experienced any slipperiness at all was on an oil soaked smooth concrete surface – and I defy a boot maker to make a sole that sticks even on that.

Even after about six weeks of wear, the soles showed no sign of it. The tread, as shown in the accompanying photos, is a mix of various patterns but far from the “self mud shedding” soles we so often see on heavy duty use boots. The larger cross-thatch pattern DOES shed mud and dirt as you walk. The smaller tread patterns do require some cleaning out once your day is done. A quick rinse or brush took care of mine quite nicely.

The end result was that, after six weeks of wear testing these boots, I found myself still putting them on instead of the other boots I have in my closet – and used to wear religiously. These are comfortable, supportive, clean looking enough for uniform wear and reasonably lightweight. At 31 ounces – just under a pound each – they ARE pretty lightweight given the types of rugged use they are expected to see and handle. With an MSRP of under $120, you ought to check them out if you’re in the market for new boots… and aren’t prejudiced against the side zip.

Stay safe!

]]>http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/hawk-side-zip-boots-from-original-swat-review/feed/0Weather Disaster Planning & Preparednesshttp://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/weather-disaster-planning-preparedness/
http://www.newamericantruth.com/2015/06/weather-disaster-planning-preparedness/#commentsMon, 22 Jun 2015 09:45:28 +0000http://www.newamericantruth.com/?p=5722Given that a huge part of our country is prone to tornadoes, the east coast to hurricanes, all of it to thunderstorms and the west coast to earthquakes, it seems a bit silly that two-thirds of adults wouldn’t prepare for a weather-related disaster. Yet, according to a poll conducted on CNN’s website, that’s exactly the state of affairs: 64% of the voters said they hadn’t taken any measures to prepare for a potential weather disaster. Have you?

CNN Poll from January 30th, 2012: only 36% plan or prepare

Of course, “prepare” means different things to different people. Add to that the stigma now being attached to the label “preppers” by the main stream media, and it’s easy to get a situation wherein people are almost afraid to plan and prepare for a weather disaster. They’d almost rather be unprepared and dependent on a slowly (if at all) responsive government rather than risk being labeled a “prepper.” It’s almost as bad as being labeled a “birther;” as if thinking for yourself and preparing judiciously is a bad thing.

The thing is, preparing for a weather disaster isn’t that difficult. A few basic problems are the usual result of weather related emergencies:

Damage to your house due to falling trees or debris.

Power outages.

Loss of water supply due to power outages.

Loss of frozen / refrigerated food due to power outages.

Loss of heat / air-conditioning due to power outages.

Notice that four of those listed have the words “power outages” included. That’s a hint for you.

The first one – damage from debris or falling trees – can be minimized to some extent. You can cover your windows as necessary prior to known weather events (like hurricanes) or you could (here is a novel thought) actually mount functioning (as opposed to decorative) shutters on your house. That way you could close them even with less notice and still protect your windows. Admittedly, both ways of preparing take time, effort and dollars, but you do have about six months out of each year to prepare for hurricane season. If you mount functional shutters, you only have to do it once and it’s done.

Another proactive step you can take to reduce the amount of damage is to contact a licensed arborist. Yes, a “tree guy.” They can walk your property, at least where you have trees that are of sufficient size and placement that, if they fell, they could damage your house. The arborist can tell you which ones are healthy, which ones aren’t, and which way any of them would probably fall based on growth, size and spread. In most places, if there are trees which endanger your house, you can have them cut down without penalty or permit. Two things here: first, don’t just hire anyone. Find a licensed and bonded arborist. Second, don’t let them haul away the wood. You’ll need it. Keep reading.

Power outages are a common side effect, even of just “every day” thunderstorms. A power outage occurring for two hours isn’t necessarily a big deal. A power outage occurring for two days is a different matter. A power outage occurring for two weeks is an emergency you’d better have prepared in advance for. The primary items you need to be concerned with, related to power outage, are:

Loss of water

Loss of heat

Loss of food

If you’re on city water, then a power outage most likely won’t cut your water supply. However, if you’re on well water and dependent on an electric pump to provide your house water, you’d better have one of two things in place and ready to go: a generator with enough gasoline or a hand pump in your well line BEFORE the electric pump. The advanced preparation part of this is that you need to have the well pump system installed so that there is an easy-to-get-to connection for the electric pump (so you can plug it into the generator) or so that the hand pump is in place. Both of these items can be done after the fact without incurring huge expense. But you need to do one or the other or both.

Loss of heat is a far larger problem than a loss of air-conditioning. For the most part, air-conditioning is a convenience and a comfort we can survive without. Heat, on the other hand, can keep us alive. Dependent on where you live, you know just how vulnerable you are to temperature extremes and in which direction (hot or cold). If it’s the hot extreme, accept that if the power goes out you’re going to do the best you can to keep your house livable by controlling air flow (opening windows to enhance breeze) and shade (blocking out sunlight). If you live in a cold extreme I expect that you already have a wood burning stove (or more than one) and know how to use it. If not, get one. Look around. Ask around. Check classifieds. In the past fifteen years I’ve received two perfectly serviceable wood stoves for free. I had to disassemble, refinish and rebuild the first one but it was worth the work. The second one needed exterior refinishing only and currently keeps my 2,100 square foot house comfortably heated to the mid-70s (Fahrenheit).

That’s why you need that wood from those trees though. It has to be cut up in proper lengths, split and allowed to cure for at least a year. Let me share a lesson learned: as you split it, split some into kindling (pieces about 1” square), split some into medium size logs (pieces about 3” square) and some into large logs (5” to 7” on each side). How big you can split it depends on the opening through which you feed wood into your stove. The larger the log, the longer it takes to burn through. WARNING: Follow all installation and safety guidelines put forth by the stove manufacturer AND your local county and/or state fire marshal’s office. Don’t cut corners. It’s your life and the lives of your family.

As to that final consideration about loss of food: the lost food will be what’s in your refrigerator and freezer. If you have a deep freeze, it can take as much as 72 hours before anything thaws to the point of loss. The tighter it’s packed full of food, the longer such loss will take. If you don’t keep your freezer tight stocked with frozen foods, fill empty milk jugs with water and put them in to freeze to fill up the empty space. During a power loss, in that first 24 hours, cook anything perishable in your refrigerator. Inventory and monitor your stock of dried and canned foods. It’s wise to have on hand at least seven days’ worth of dry and/or canned food just in case. Rotate this food regularly always using the oldest supplies first and replenishing them as you go.